NBA, China business buds again
In great news for the NBA’s bottom-line, China’s boycott of the league is over. A little over a year after an NBA executive’s tweet drew the ire of China’s communist government, the nation’s state-run network announced it would broadcast Friday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
China’s government had banned NBA broadcasts after Daryl Morey, the Rockets GM, tweeted from his personal account in October of last year, ‘Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” It was in support of protesters who believed their autonomous democracy was in jeopardy amid legislative pressure from China’s authoritative rule.
China allegedly told NBA commissioner Adam Silver to fire Morey, who is still employed by the Rockets, and multiple Chinese companies severed ties with the league. As a result of the boycott, Silver estimated the NBA would lose over $300 million in revenue.
According to a statement from CCTV, the NBA recovered China’s business by sending nice messages and donating to the nation’s COVID-19 battle. The NBA donated more than $1 million and medical equipment to China, ESPN reported.
“During the recent Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, the NBA sent their well wishes to fans in China,” CCTV said in a statement. “We also took note of the league has been continuously delivering goodwill [to China], particularly making positive contributions to Chinese people’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic.”
Recovered Chinese revenue will certainly be welcomed by the NBA and its players — especially as its TV ratings plummet — but the partnership is also a point of controversy. President Donald Trump has blasted the league — and many of its prominent figures — while alleging it’s kowtowing to a violator of human rights.
Notably, LeBro n James was quick to condemn Morey for tweeting, and Nets owner Joe Tsai, who has privately benefited financially through his dealings with the Chinese government, denounced the Hong Kong protesters as “separatists.”
The relationship with China opens up the NBA to charges of hypocrisy as it promotes itself as a leader in promoting human rights and social justice. Adam Silver said he understands why the league’s partnership in China is questioned.
“There are definitely trade offs there and somebody could say given the system of government in China you, the NBA, should make a decision not to operate there,” Silver told CNN. “I would only say that at the end of the day, I think those are decisions for our government in terms of where American business should operate. I continue to believe that the people to people exchanges we’re seeing by playing in China are positive, and it’s helping — it helps cultures learn about each other.
“Again, it allows us to export sort of American values to China.”